Former Minister for Trade and Industry, and currently NPP Campaign Sector Committee Chairperson on Trade on Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, is asking Ghanaians, who are desirous of progress and prosperity, to repose their confidence in, and vote for the party’s presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in the December 7 election.

According to Alan Kyerematen, the creation of jobs to solve the country’s crippling unemployment crisis will be the number one focus of an Akufo-Addo government, God-willing, from January 2017, assuring that “we, in the NPP, have the formula for job creation.”

The NPP stalwart was addressing residents of Sekondi on Sunday, August 14, 2016, at the campaign launch of the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for the Sekondi constituency, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, when he made this known.

Alan Kyerematen noted that in addition to rapid infrastructural development for every part of the country, “Nana Akufo-Addo’s message everywhere he goes is that he is coming to create jobs for all Ghanaians. The creation of jobs is what Ghanaians must look at before voting.”

The “1-District-1-Factory” policy, he stated, will be one of the programmes for the creation of thousands of jobs for the teeming masses of unemployed Ghanaian youth across the country.

“If we have 216 factories in this country, it would mean that some of the items imported from outside of the country will be manufactured right here in Ghana. When we produce these items here, it would mean the appreciation and strengthening of the Ghana cedi. If there’s a factory in every district, why would our young men and women leave their respective homes for non-existent jobs in the city centres?” he asked.

In addition to the ‘1-District-1-Factory’, Alan Kyerematen noted that the creation of an enabling environment for the private sector to flourish will be a priority area for the government of Nana Akufo-Addo.

“With many Ghanaians engaged in their own private businesses, the NPP will make sure that there is availability of capital, at significantly lower lending rates, for the growth of businesses. 90% of jobs currently created in Ghana are through small businesses. The NPP is coming to assist the private sector, so they can create more jobs for the people,” he assured.

Alan Kyerematen further revealed that to complement the ‘1-District-1-Factory’ policy and the strengthening of the private sector, “Nana Akufo-Addo’s government is going to make sure that strategic anchor industries are created to provide more jobs for Ghanaians. These industries will include iron and steel, cement, bauxite and aluminum, petrochemical industry, vehicle assembly and the manufacture of machine parts and equipment.”

He, therefore, noted that “if you are NDC supporter, and after listening to all these interventions, you will make a choice for the future of Ghana, which is voting for Nana Akufo-Addo”, stressing that “if President Mahama and the NDC had any plan for the creation of jobs, they would have rolled it out by now.”

NDC has only one message

After being in office for 8 years, Alan Kyerematen stated that the NDC government of John Mahama, has only one message.

“Their message is that in the last 8 years, they have been able to construct roads, school buildings and hospitals. It is a good thing. But, let me ask you one question. Have you seen any government, in Ghana’s history, which has never constructed roads, schools or hospitals?” Alan asked, to which the answer from the thousands gathered was a loud no.

The most important things required of any government, he indicated, are the development of the nation, as well as the improvement in the living standards of Ghanaians.

“In spite of the NDC’s singular message of infrastructural development, Ghanaians are saying that their living conditions are worse off. Ghanaians are saying they cannot make ends meet; they cannot afford to live in these hard times. This is, clearly, a sign that the NDC has failed. Ghanaians are saying they want Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP,” he noted.

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